'Photoshopped Safety': Variety Show Under Fire for Digitally Adding Seatbelts

A safety controversy has erupted over the popular variety show "This Is My Journey to the West 2", after viewers discovered that seatbelts worn by guests in the latest episode appeared to be digitally added in post-production.

The episode, released on May 29, showed guests seated in moving vehicles with what many described as obvious signs of digital compositing around their shoulder straps – blurry edges and inconsistent lighting that suggest the seatbelts were never actually used during filming.

The alleged manipulation has sparked widespread public outcry, with authorities and legal experts weighing in on the implications of the production team's apparent disregard for traffic safety regulations.

China's traffic law states that drivers and passengers must use seatbelts as required when the vehicle is in motion. Violators may face a warning or a fine ranging from 5 to 50 yuan (74 US cents to US$7.4).

The Traffic Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security today issued a warning specifically addressing the incident, stating: "Artists and variety shows have a prominent role in setting public examples. Traffic safety must not be falsified. Production teams must strictly abide by traffic laws and uphold the bottom line of workplace safety."

As of press time, the production team behind "This Is My Journey to the West 2" has not issued any public response to the allegations.

This is not the first time a Chinese variety show has been caught fabricating safety measures. Previous productions have also been exposed for similar post-production tampering involving seatbelt usage.

Li Zhenwu, a lawyer with Shanghai Li Zhen Law Firm, explained the legal and ethical dimensions of the incident to Xiaoxiang Morning Post. Failing to wear a seatbelt is a traffic violation. But when the production team chooses to fake a seatbelt in post-production and broadcasts the edited footage as official content, creating a false impression of compliance, that constitutes a dual deception against both the regulatory review system and the audience, Li told the newspaper.